Police club



Au 1, 1933. M. F. MORRISSEY POLICE CLUB Filed March 16, 1953 grvuq/Yvim NICHHEL E Moramsssv,

Patented Aug. 1, 1933 UNITED STATES POLICE CLUB Michael F.; Morrissey, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application March 16, 1933.

6 Claims.

It is the object of my invention to produce a policemans club which is flexible; is capable of being used effectively either to subdue a resisting criminal without injuring him and without leaving marks, or to injure him in emergency cases if necessity arises; provides the policeman an improved grip which markedly lessens the chance that the club may be taken away from him or so held by the criminal that the policeman can not use it, and which will fit flatwise in the hip pocket so that it will not causean unsightly and telltalebulge in the overhanging coat, while at the same time it can be immediately grasped and brought into action.

In carrying out my invention, I provide aflat flexible club, with agrip-portion at one end, that can be used to strike either flatwise or edgewise as occasion requires. While the club can be made of other material, such for instance as heavy g leather, I prefer to make it of rubber with suitable. reinforcements, as .of fabric and/or metal. I also prefer that the grip portion shall be provided by a hand-hole near one end of'the club, through which the policeman inserts his fingers,

although in the broader view my invention is not limited to that style of grip.

The accompanying drawing illustrates my invention: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred form of policemans club embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a partial elevation of such club, with the right-hand portion in section;- Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4

is an enlarged fragmental view of one corner of the grip-end of the club, with part of the rubber broken away to show a preferredstyle of fabric and cord reinforcement; Figs. 5 and 6 are views, on a reduced scale, corresponding in general to the upper part of Fig. 2 but showing modified reinforcings; and Fig. 7 is a perspective View, on

a reduced scale, of a simple form of club which embodies some ofthe features of my invention although not all of them.

In the preferred form of my invention, shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the club consists of a flat slab 10 of reinforced rubber, with a handhole 11 through it at one end. The dimensions of the rubber slab 10 may vary, but it is in general of a size that will fit the pocket. A convenient size is with the slab about a half-inch thick, four to five inches wide, and nine to twelve inches long.

The rubber slab is desirably suitably reinforced, as by a plurality of layers of fabric 12. These layers of fabric are desirably slightly smaller than the finished club, with slightly larger cut-out portions at the hand-hole 11, so that the rubber Serial No. 661,020

will not only cover the flat faces of the club but will include portions 13 and 14 which extend over theedges of the fabric and cover them com-. pletely at the edges of both the club and the hand-hole, as is clear from the drawing.

As the hand-hole involves cutting away of the reinforcing fabric, and a consequent concentration of stress at the two lateral ends of such hand-hole at the points 15, I preferablyprovide additional reinforcement at those points. Such additional reinforcement is conveniently as shown in Fig. 4; where one or more extra layers of fabric 16 are provided, and conveniently fastened to the main fabric layers 12 by wrappings of cord 17. o Other types of reinforcement may be provided at the hand-hole end of the club,such for instance as those shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

In Fig. 5 the fabric reinforcement is shown supplemented by-a reinforcement of sheet-metal 18, which acts somewhat as a leaf spring. Desirably the sheet-metallS has a series of holes through it, to permit locking-pins 19 of rubber to flow through to fasten it in place. The sheet-metal 18 is very effective to stand the concentrated stress at the points 15.

In Fig. 6 a coil-spring 20 is shown extending across the club above the hand-hole 11 and down at the edges, of the club through the points 15. This coilspring 20 also serves as an effective re- 5 inforcement, especially at the points 15 of stressconcentration.

In use, the club fits flatwise into the hip pocket of the policemen, with the hand-holev end uppermost. It lies flatwise against the body, without causing an unsightly bulge and raising of the overhanging coat. When the policeman needs his club, he thrusts his fingers through the handhole 11, and gets a firm grip-on the part 21, or grip, which lies between the club-end and such 1.9 hand-hole. This part 21 is of such size and shape that it conveniently fits the average hand. With this grip the policeman readily draws the club from his hip pocket, and can use it effectively to subdue a resisting criminal. 1 1

Ordinarily the club is used to strike flatwise. When so used it is ordinarily effective to subdue a criminal with one or two blows, which can be: delivered without danger of breaking any bones or causing any permanent marks, and usua1ly without even breakingthe skin or causing a discoloration. In spite of these humane characteristics, it is found in practice that the criminal rarely requires more than one or two blows to be subdued. In case of emergency, however, the; a

policeman can strike edgewise of the club. When the club is so used it is capable of breaking a bone or fracturing a skull.

The policemans grip on the part 21, with. his fingers through the hand-hole 11, gives him an advantage over any criminal who grasps the club and tries to wrest it from the policeman; because the club is of such size and shape that a single hand gripping the body of it is at 'a great disadvantage as against the-policemans hand gripping the part 21 If the criminal resisting arrest grasps the body of the club with-both hands, he is at a disadvantage inhaving both hands occupied, while the policeman not only can effectively hold.

the club with one hand but can take whatever measures are necessary with the other hand.

The modified club shown in Fig. 7 has some but not all of the advantages of the club shown in the other figures. It consistsof a body portion 30, with a reduced handle portion 31 extending f lengthwise instead of crosswise of the club, and

with flanges extending out beyond the handle portion 31 at'both edges of the latter. The whole club of Fig. 7 may be made of any suitable mat rial, such as reinforccd rubber or as heavy leather.

' It can be used to strike either flatwise or edge wise, fitsfiiatwisein the pocket and can be easily drawn from the pocket, is flexible, can be used to strike eirectively without leaving marks or break.- i n-g bones, and can also be used to strike edgewise for more violent punishment when that is necessary. Like the form of club shown in the other figures, it has p-roven very effective in the actual subduing of criminals who were resisting arrest. But I deem the formshown in theother views preferable.

I cla-inras my invention:

1. A policemansclub, comprising a flat flexible striking member of greater width than thickness so that different effects can be produced by striking with it flatwise or edgewise, said member having a grip portion at one end.

2. A policemans club, comprising a fiat striking member of greater width than thickness, so that it can be used to strike either edgewise or flatwise, which fiat member has a hand-hole through it at one end to provide a transverse grip portion between such hand-hole and the club end.

3. A policemans club, comprising a flat striking member of greater width than thickness, so that it can be used to strike either edgewise or fiatwise, which flat member has a hand-hole through it at one end to provide a transverse grip portion between such hand-hole and the club end, said club being made of flexible material.

4. Apolicemans club, comprising a flat striking. member of greater width than thickness, so that it can be used to strike either edgewise or iiatwise, which fiat member has a hand-hole through it at one end to provide a transverse grip portion between such hand-hole and the club end, said clubbeing made of reinforced rubber.

: 5. A policemanfs c1ub,. comprising a flat striking member of greater width than thickness, so

that it can be used to strike eitheredgewise or fiatwise, which fiat member has a hand-hole through it at one end to provide a transverse grip portion between such hand-hole and the club end, said'club being made of rubber reinforced with fabric.

6. A. policemans club, comprising a flat striking member of greater width than thickness, so that it can be used to strike either edgewise or fiatwise, which flat member has a handehole through it at one end to provide: a transverse grip portion between such hand-hole: and the; club end,

said. club being made of rubber reinforced with fabric, with additional reinforcements at the points of stress-concentration at the ends of the hand-hole.

MICHAEL F. MORRISSEY. 

